Compendium on the Soul

ON THE SOUL

...arriving. An example in artificial things is like the engraving or the impression of a seal occurring in clay composed of dry earth and fluid water at the point of their mixing. To clarify this example, note that in the East it was the custom among the ancients, and is observed even today in Damascus, that whenever they wished to seal a closed house in the king's name (or someone else's), so that no one might open the closed house without the king's permission, or take the things inside it, they would mix clay or dry earth with water. They would apply such earth, thus mixed with water, to the door of the house over the lock, and afterwards, with the king's great seal made of wood or iron, they would press the figure of the seal into that clay applied over the door's lock. They would imprint the king's seal on various parts of the aforementioned clay. This clay, once impressed by the king's seal, would dry on its own and remain over the door lock for a short or long time, according to the will of the king or the city prefect.

It is known, however, that the engraving or figure impressed by the seal arriving at the aforementioned clay does not arise from the requirements of the simple forms composing that clay. This is because that engraving does not come to that clay by reason of the water or its form, nor by reason of the earth, nor by reason of the composite of both (namely, dry earth and fluid water). For that composite and its component parts do not seek out any engraving or figure of themselves; nor do they seek out of themselves any outlines that have a determined shape. Therefore, it is manifest that the engraving and figure which comes to the aforementioned clay does not arrive except from the outside, from the impression of the seal. This seal is something else, and something external to the aforementioned clay and its parts.

NOT according to mixing, but according to a complexional blending The text distinguishes between a simple heap of things and a "complexio"—a specific medical or philosophical balance of qualities.. The Arabic text has not according to 'alachtalat' original: "alachtalat", but according to 'alemtegiagi' original: "alemtegiagi", where 'alachtalat' is the mixing together of things that remain unchanged, such as the mixing of dry earth with grains of wheat. 'Alemtegiagi', however, is a complexional blending, which is the mixing together of things that are altered by one another, such as in theriac theriac: a famous ancient "universal" medicine made of many ingredients that lose their individual identities when blended, and in food made from things having different flavors and contrary qualities.

And through this the text is explained: namely, "not according to mixing." This refers to that kind of mixing in which the mixable elements have not yet been "broken down" original: "refracta"; in medieval physics, this refers to the tempering of elemental qualities (hot, cold, wet, dry) where they lose their extreme intensity to reach a middle state and have not been reduced to a third unity. Instead, the "first division"—that is, the composite made of different things—should be composed according to a complexional blending. This "complexion" results after the elements have been broken down against one another. Then, after such a breaking down within the "overcome contrary" The quality that has been tempered or dominated in the mixture existing in the composite, no property proportioned to it is found in its essence or in its impression. This is because of the prohibition against two contraries being in one place at the same time. For if every contrary in the aforementioned composite retained its own property...